Do You Think Bills Should Be Read Before They Are Passed?

It's a dirty little secret of Capitol Hill's: lawmakers frequently vote on bills they haven't read, either because they don't want to spend the time or because the majority party, hoping to ram through a contentious piece of legislation, demands a vote immediately after a bill's final version is produced. Now, a petition is circulating that aims to change that. Readthebill.org has a simple demand: "Congress should change its rules to require that non-emergency legislation and conference reports be posted on the Internet for 72 hours before debate begins."

That 72-hour period would give lawmakers enough time to determine if they really support a bill. Perhaps more importantly, it would give everyday citizens and public watchdogs enough time to hunt for hidden provisions, kickbacks, and conflicts of interest. Take a look at some bills that got rushed through Congress here; they include the stimulus bill, FISA, and the PATRIOT Act. You can sign the petition here.